Encyclopedic Dictionary of Bible and Theology

Odd Fellows, Order of An organization whose members are so bound to secrecy that they may not disclose its purposes, practises, or activities to competent civil or ecclesiastical authority. As such secrecy may be and commonly is used as an instrument for the benefit of the members to the disadvantage of others in the community, … Continue reading “Odd Fellows, Order of”

Odd-fellows the name assumed by one of the most extensive self-governed provident associations in the world. The institution, though in its secrecy and many usages closely resembling the masonic order, is so largely devoted to philanthropic labors as to deserve a short historical notice here. The order was originated in Manchester in 1812, although isolated … Continue reading “Odd-fellows”

O’Daly, Donogh Moacute;r (In Irish Donnchadh Mór O Dálaigh) A celebrated Irish poet, d. 1244. About thirty of his poems are extant, amounting to four or five thousand lines, nearly all religious. O’Reilly styles him Abbot of Boyle (Irish Writers, p. LXXXVIII) as does O’Curry (Manners and Customs, III, p. 301); he was certainly buried … Continue reading “O’Daly, Donogh Moacute;r”

O’Daly, Daniel A diplomatist and historian, born in Kerry, Ireland, 1595; died at Lisbon, 30 June, 1662. On his mother’s side he belonged to the Desmond branch of the Geraldines, of which branch his paternal ancestors were the hereditary chroniclers or bards. He be came a Dominican in Tralee, Co. Kerry; took his vows in … Continue reading “ODaly, Daniel”

Odal Or Udal Right (Celtic od, property) is the title of a tenure of land as absolute, and not dependent on. a superior. The odal right prevailed throughout Northern Europe before the rise of feudalism. It was founded on the tie of blood which connected freeman with freeman, and not on the tie of service. … Continue reading “Odal Or Udal Right”

Od (from the same root as Odin and supposed to mean all-pervading), the name given by baron Reichenbach to a peculiar physical force which he thought he had discovered. This force, according to him, pervades all nature, and manifests itself as a flickering flame or luminous appearance at the poles of magnets, at the poles … Continue reading “Od”

O’Curry, Eugene Catholic philologist and scholar. Born Dunaha, County Clare, Ireland, 1796; died Dublin, Ireland, 1862. Appointed to the topographical and historical department of the Ordnance Survey of Ireland, 1834, he was brought into touch with Irish manuscripts, which with his associate John O’Donovan he later published in part. Self-taught scholar of the Irish language, … Continue reading “O’Curry, Eugene”

O’Cullenan, Gelasius (Or GLAISNE O’CULLENAN). Cistercian, Abbot of Boyle, Ireland, b. probably near Assaroe Abbey, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal; martyred, 21 Nov., 1580. Three of his brothers were Cistercian abbots, and a fourth Bishop of Raphoe. Gelasius, the eldest, studied at Salamanca University, went thence to Paris where he took his doctorate at the Sorbonne, made … Continue reading “O’Cullenan, Gelasius”

Octoechos is the name of a service-book used in the Greek Church. It consists of two volumes (folio), and contains the particular hymns and services for every day of the week, a portion of the daily service being appropriated to some saint or festival besides those marked in the calendar. Thus, Sunday is dedicated to … Continue reading “Octoechos”

October-Horse THE, a horse anciently sacrificed in the month of October to Mars in the Campus Martins at Rome. The blood that dropped from the tail of the animal which was sacrificed was carefully preserved by the vestal virgins in the temple of Vesta, for the purpose of being burned at the festival Palilia (q.v.), … Continue reading “October-Horse”